"Rescheduling is never a good thing for an event, but we think a lot of people would look at Friday's forecast and say I'm not going to want to bike home in this," said Nicholas Mirra, spokesman for the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia.

Mirra anticipates hearing some flak from critics about biking being a poor choice for commuters because of weather variations, but explained that a downpour would take away from the celebratory nature of the event.

Bicyclists will meet at Lloyd Hall at 1 Boathouse Row along Kelly Drive beginning at 7:30 a.m. Monday. The group of riders will depart around 8:15 a.m., heading towards the Art Museum and then down Ben Franklin Parkway to LOVE Park at 15th Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard.

A few hundred bicyclists, including Mayor Michael Nutter, participated in last year's event.

Officials with the Mayor's office have yet to confirm if Nutter will lead the pack this year.